No surprise here: Verizon officially announces Galaxy Nexus

Well, this isn’t too surprising to hear but Verizon Wireless has finally come clean about the Galaxy Nexus. The first Android Ice Cream Sandwich phone is set to launch on the carrier sometime later this year, and that’s about all we have to go on. But hey, at least it’s official.

Samsung and Google announced that the Galaxy Nexus would launch some time in November and we’re surprised that Verizon didn’t actually give us a release date. With many people aching to get their hands on the handset, we can only hope we can get pricing and availability information in the coming days.

We do know that this version of the Galaxy Nexus will have LTE support but because of that the handset will be thicker than the HSPA+ models. That said, we have our doubts that the handset will be much thicker but at this point in the game, while stupidly impressive, a lot of people probably don’t need a 15MB upload speed on their phone. Nonetheless, LTE support is one of the main draws for Verizon’s Galaxy Nexus and we could imagine that it will rather well. I’m holding out for Sprint.

With evidence that an AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint version of the Galaxy Nexus on the way, Verizon’s version, while thicker, may outsell all other carriers. With the best network in the country, many people have been waiting for a Nexus handset to land on Big Red and now they finally have their chance.

We’re glad there’s some sort of official announcement coming from a carrier but we do wish there was more information given to us. We’ll likely be hearing more from carriers who will be carrying the handset shortly.

Press release below:

VERIZON WIRELESS INTRODUCES THE GALAXY NEXUS BY SAMSUNG

Features the Latest Version of Android and America’s Fastest and Most Reliable 4G Network

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Verizon Wireless today announced that the Galaxy Nexus by Samsung, the world’s first smartphone running on Android™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich is coming to Verizon Wireless. The Galaxy Nexus will be available later this year in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com.

Ice Cream Sandwich brings a redesigned user interface with enhanced multitasking, notifications, full Web browsing experience and more. Customers will also be able to enjoy the innovative new features that Ice Cream Sandwich offers, such as Face Unlock which uses facial recognition to unlock the Galaxy Nexus. Customers can take advantage of the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network to access more than 300,000 apps and games from Android Market™ or rent movies and stream them instantly on the 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED™ display.

Customers that purchase the Galaxy Nexus by Samsung smartphone will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 for monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data. For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

Blake: “We do know that this version of the Galaxy Nexus will have LTE support but because of that the handset will be thicker than the HSPA+ models. That said, we have our doubts that the handset will be much thicker but at this point in the game, while stupidly impressive, a lot of people probably don’t need a 15MB upload speed on their phone”